Understanding Oil Contaminants
Before I get into this month’s article I want to remind everyone that the Great American Truck is coming up August 25th to 27th at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas. If you haven’t made plans to attend I suggest you register at: www.truckshow.com . Congratulations if you have already registered, you truly must understand the value of attending a truck show.
Stop by the OPS-Oil Purification Systems booth 18026 and I will gladly discuss oil sampling and oil related issues with you. I hope to see you there.
Recently, I was asked a very interesting question. I know oil sampling can help me to understand what is happening in my engine and allow me to safely extend my oil drains, but is it really worth the time and expense?
Well the best way I can answer this is to say that an advanced oil sample that usually costs less than $30.00 will uncover potential issues that could prevent catastrophic engine failures. An engine that is contaminated with fuel or antifreeze that goes undetected will eventually have viscosity issues that will accelerate wear, cause internal parts to overheat and premature engine failure. If you drain your oil and never sample you would have no indication that the contamination is occurring. There are numerous other signs of imminent failure like excessive metal or bearing wear that repaired promptly would eliminate the need for a tow truck when the engine fails. A dedicated oil sampling program will help you identify internal engine issues before they become catastrophic engine failures. Repairing a leaking injector or defective coolant seal is considerably less expensive than an engine overhaul. I would say the $30.00 oil sample is a very good investment.
Anyone who uses an extended oil drain filtration system knows that oil sampling is a critical part of any extended drain program. Without sampling you would have no way of knowing that the quality of the oil is being maintained. At OPS the extended drain program recommends that oil filters be changed and samples taken at specified intervals depending on filter size and the operation of the vehicle. For example an over the road vehicle that operates on pavement would typically use a 10 inch filter and change filters and sample oil every 25.000 miles. That would mean that a driver who typically runs 125,000 miles a year would change filters and sample 5 times a year. If the oil sample results showed the oil properties were within guidelines and oil quality was maintained the oil would not be changed.
Most OPS customers say that the lower oil maintenance is great but not having to wait in line for oil changes and the benefits that the oil sample provide far outweighs the thousand plus dollars they save every year. I guess the answer to the question is oil sampling will save you major expenses by utilizing a preventable maintenance program. Using oil sampling with an extended drain filtration system will put extra dollars in your pocket every year. So yes oil sampling is definitely worth the time and expense
If you have any questions or topics for this column please email me at t[email protected].